Lead student counselors (LSCs) serve a vital role in the Expunction Project by overseeing the entire expunction and/or nondisclosure process for 2-4 applicants. LSCs will participate in every stage of the Expunction Project over the course of a few weeks in the semester. LSCs will manage their applicants’ files by determining what type of relief applicants may be eligible for based on their criminal history; obtaining criminal records necessary to prove applicants’ eligibility; drafting petitions and orders for relief; and meeting with applicants to prepare them for pro se hearings. LSCs will work closely with a Mithoff Program Supervising Attorney and Pro Bono Scholars throughout this process. An expunction destroys all criminal records related to an eligible offense, and a nondisclosure seals the records so that applicants no longer have to disclose their criminal history on background checks.
Organization
Texas Law Expunction Project
The Expunction Project is an internal project of the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program.
Project Details
- Project Start Date
February 2022
- Approximate hours of work requested
- 15-20 hours during the spring semester, including training sessions; very flexible/self-paced outside of the training sessions
- Training
- On demand via Canvas; LSCs will have one additional training session at a time TBD based on volunteers’ schedules
- Skills used
- Client communication; document preparation and review; legal analysis
- Project location
- Virtual
- Address
- 727 E. Dean Keeton Street, Austin, TX 78705
- Number of student volunteers requested
- 20
- Class year preference
- 1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
- Required skills
- Students with an interest in client management, social justice, navigating the criminal legal system, and engaging with criminal history records are encouraged to volunteer; students who have an interest in pro bono leadership and getting more involved with the Mithoff Program are preferred; students do not need to have previously volunteered with the Expunction Project in order to be an LSC
- To Apply
- Submit a brief statement of interest online at https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0e59SVBmbVxKMxo by Friday, February 11.